3,000 people object to cycling hub at end of C2C cycle route

Why does it need to be developed? There's whole areas of the coast between there and Hartley Bay that are begging to be developed. A great location for the end of the C2C would be Whitley Bay as an alternative.
There is no need to develop every single part of Tynemouth and there is no need for the C2C to end where it currently does. Hopefully something positive can be worked upon rather than a divisive project that was never for the cyclists in the first place.

If it has been withdrawn then it is very sad news.

It was never going to be a bar, just because it had an alcohol licence to 9pm, similar to many more cafe's in the area, does'nt mean its a bar but dont let the facts get in the way of your arguements.

The "scrubby land" is on both sides not just the land owned by the applicant but as a supporter against the idea that seemed another fact to slip from your mind.

The place is an eye sore and needs some form of regeneration which will sadly now not happen.

The area is crying out for facilities for cyclists, the thousands who turned out to watch stage 2 of the ToB into Blyth show that cycling is massive, but narrow minded people, who would rather see the area remain dilapadated and run down, win out. 

People say the proposer was only doing it for the money, so what if he was there are very few people who do these sort of projects who dont want to make money, it was also going to be a fantastic location for cyclists and public alike. 

So we will stick with the smelly burger van and ice cream van that sit on the upper car park to welcome cyclists and tourists to the area instead.......... 

Forgot to add - reading in the local paper letters section, those against all seem to fall into the category of "yes you can have it but not near where i live". 

Tynemouth unfortunately has a self confessed snobbery about it and anything that "they" dont like generally gets a multitude of complaints, such as the Sustrans backed cycle path along the Broadway -   people complained about where they could park their 2nd and 3rd cars due to the new cycle path !!!!!

Duika - i accept Cliffords Fort is a good site but some of the arguements those against the "new hub" cite are the same as those you say Cliffords Fort already have - 

For instance - those against claim there are far to many bars / cafe's / eateries etc already in Tynemouth yet you extoll the fact that Cliffords Fort already has a multitude of bars / restaurants etc and the hub would fit in well. 

There has been numerous complaints about how ASB would increase - yes the new hub would have a alcohol licence but its proposal has already been amended for this to stop at 9pm. Its not a bar / pub, its a cafe / restaurant with an alcohol licence such as Crusoes and The View. 

Parking - you state that the Cliffords Fort has a multitude of free car parking - so has Tynemouth haven lower car park, its only the upper car park where you have to pay. 

Pedestrian access - you claim the road is to narrow for pedestrians and cyclists alike. There is a footpath on the side of the road apart from the small bridge over the old stream bed yet in all my years living in Tynemouth i have never known of any rtc's at the bridge involving cycles / pedestrians with vehicles. 

With pedestrians and cyclists in mind - Clifford Fort is part of a working fish quay with artics, delivery vans and fork lifts operating around the clock for when the trawlers come in and we know how well artics and bikes get along !!

The Great North Bike Ride has been running for 17 years and it finishes at Tynemouth Haven. You see people milling around after it finishes because they have no where to go other than standing in the street as there are no cycling facilities on  Tynemouth Front Street

A local cycle club, North Tyneside Riders, meets in Tynemouth and due to Tynemouth not having any facilities they meet at the roadside, the hub would give them somewhere to meet and finish rides. 

You mention the nearby ferry and pedestrian tunnels for cyclists yet the new hub is only a matter of half a mile further away, not exactly a massive distance. 

The promenade which runs from the fish quay past the Black Middens has the C2C sign post along its route which, surprise surprise, runs past where the new hub is planned. 

Finally as i've said before the area where it is to be built is scrubland / grass which isnt really accessible to the public due to the gradient of the slope so the building of a cafe will give greater access to the public to the area. 

Indeed Duika, as an out group it's all too easy to play the anti-cycling card, some of the first responses question how a bike can increase traffic as if nobody drives their car to a sportive etc. How many other proposed developments get objection levels of around 3k? It is often NIMBY as opposed to giving a damn what it's about.

Not knowing the area, I'm happy to take others opinions on the lack of natural beauty and whether there are better places. However, this is often part of the 'development' and 'regeneration' application. The 'best' place maybe harder to get plans through as it is actually nice, land to purchase and grants may be much higher if regenerating and if they get support from some local clubs, education authorities etc. to make it 'part of the community' then this can be an important part of the business plan.

Until the Brexiters start jumping in the water... 

Many of your supporters have registered their desire for an end to the C2C route in Tynemouth. Unfortunately they have not heard why many of us think there are much much better options... and why cyclists and locals are objecting to the proposed 'cycle-hub' development.

Many of us locally want an end to the route and have been campaigning for such for a long time. We are not 'anti-cyclist' and want to create world class facilities that promote all the NCN routes and cycling more generally. It is unfortunate that many of your readers do not see what great options exist for a 'hub' or even a whole cycle friendly community at North Shields. 

The North Shields Clifford's Fort area has a range of advantages over the proposed 'watch house' private development. There are multiple businesses, cafes, restaurants and a community run heritage centre, ample free parking, appropriate and safe cycling areas, opportunities for further development by new businesses. The site already links to some wonderful cyling infrasctructure - the soon to be opened cycling and pedestrian tunnel under the Tyne, the cycle friendly ferry service crossing the river, the access to port facilities for cyclists wishing to come from further afield, the links to NCN routes 10 and the North Sea Route. The site would not cause local conflict or affect the workings of the important heritage lifeguarding station. All it is missing is a C2C sign.

A few features:

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1. The Low Lights Heritage Centre . Unlike the propsed hub which has been submitted under the planning use class of 'restuaruant and shop'  they currently have A3 - or lesiure - use and they already have secured cycle parking. The facility is community run and has plenty of scope for development. There is ample outdoor seating. The Clifford's fort area has recently been developed and no cars can enter the fort area. It would be a great place for a cycle festival. Important for your readers to note that the propsed 'hub' has been submitted under the use class for a restaurant and shop, not a leisure facility. 

2. The 'end' of the route is often portrayed as 'Tynemouth' on the basis of a history of its representation as such, but it doesnt' have to be. Indeed there are multiple endings and starts for the C2C route. There is good reason to argue the North Sea begins at North Sheilds and the Lloyds Hailing Station. If you consider Whitehaven, it is not at the peir and indeed you cannot get a clear view of the sea from the C2C sign, but it is a good site because you can 'dip' your wheel there and there are multiple businesses in the vicinity that benefit.  The North Shields quay beach has the option for wheel deeping, the proposed hub does not and is on a particular congested track on a steep hill that is dangerous to novice cyclists and pedestrians. There is a local group campaigning for a ramp to enable better access to the beach and they have the support of the Port of Tyne Authority. 

3. The fish quay has great outdoor art to make for excellent photo opportunities. In fact, the only thing missing is a nice "C2C" feature. Add to this the 3 nearby public houses and several restaurants, and large open congregational areas for that big finish.

4. There is a free car park and public toilets at the beach. The car park has free parking for 62 standard bays and 10 disabled bays. It can accomodate trailers for bikes. The prposed hub would increase pressure on the Tynemouth car park. This car park costs to use, it is congested and the narrow road to it is often difficult to negotiate for cyclists, pedestrians and importantly, it is needed for rescue services for the volunteer life brigade. 

There are many more arguments that could be cited and I would encourage your readers to have a look at some of them as they are well represented on the North Tyneside planning portal. But in short, we are not anti-cyclist at all, quite the opposite. Everything that this proposed development has to offer, has already been catered for in far better, bigger, and more practical way in the Clifford's Fort and Fish Quay sands area at North Shields. We want a big bang for the C2C route. We don't think its a private development with a 120 seat restaurant on a steep hill.

Not going to actually give support or object to this, but come on, it stinks of a "beach side" development that would not normally be approved and is using 'cycling' as means to gain approval for the application. It's suggested the developers original plans were for housing which got rejected, so instead has gone for an upmarket a restaurant/venue, but is metaphorically sticking a large bike in front to hide its business model.

Good to see Cycling Infrastructure, but not as a way of enabling a developer to manipulate the planning system.

Hmm, whose opinion to trust?

Posting against the cyclehub - Aressbee [1 post] & ValidGarry [1 post]
Posting for it - local resident Stumps [3486 posts] ...

Well given the quality of stumps previous posts, I find myself drawn to being an anti...

have commented online in favour. The Tynemouth end of C2C is an utter anti-climax.

I suspect the motivation might be a bit more complex than stated - this is less than half a mile away:

https://goo.gl/maps/1uos6r5gmKz

Unwanted competition?

If I was cycling it and finishing here, I'd go and find fish and chips from the high street at the moment.

On the other hand, quite likely anti-cyclist sentiment at play too.

This 'cycle hub' is an excuse to build what would be a bar/venue in an area that doesn't need it.

There's some 12,000 to 15,000 cyclists riding the C2C every year. This isn't the only finish point - there's another one down in Sunderland. So many C2C-ers don't even go to Tynemouth. Those numbers don't warrant the construction of such an expensive project. This isn't for cyclists so don't think that.
Tynemouth Front Street is about 1/4 mile away and is wall to wall with places to eat and drink. That's where things should happen. Also - this finish point is really still in the river - I'd rather see the finish being actually in the sea as the name hints at.

This is not where such a venture should be built and calling it a cycling hub is all smoke and mirrors.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/support-plans-to-build-tynemouth-watch-house-garden-cycle-hubYou can support it here

The Cycle Hub on the Quayside (also on C2C)  http://www.thecyclehub.org is a great example of a facility that's used by cyclists and non cyclists alike

I live in Tynemouth and it's not a beautiful spot. It's a grassy hill with a tarmac carpal on it. Generally covered in rubbish, dog shite and the only wildlife noticeable is the sea gulls and rats which run hand in hand with the refuse left by people.
The protesters go on about ASB excessive cars and general mess not to mention the removal of a beauty spot.
I have added my name to the petition for it to be granted permission as it will be good for the area and rejuvenate a wasted bit of land.

It does seem a pretty spot to dig up for what looks like just a glorified caff, and even the developers visualisation appears to show the view of the Watch House being obscured .  (I've never been, so only have Google Earths word on  how it looks as it is.)

There must be plenty of places to get a meal and acuppa in Tynemouth. As for showers, the North Sea will get you as wet as you could ever wish...does the trick in Dunwich!

An 'anticlimactic' car park finish? If you need a 'cyclist's hub' to validate the acheivement of cycling the Coast to Coast then just choose adifferent destination.  Like the ill conceived Leeds Bradford superhighway and the proposal to tarmac the charming cinder track from Ravenscar to Robin Hoods Bay , perhaps this bit of unnecessary bling is something most cyclists could happily do without.

This is not a good proposal.  The objections are nothing to do with cycling as I understand it, but about the investors and the potential for future use to be radically different.  Do some digging and check this out properly before jumping one way or another.

I haven't been to the area, no have I seen the plans so I can't comment on the objections or whatever.

However I do feel it's a shame that there is a problem, and that so many people have objected, to something that should make a contribution to the "Northern Powerhouse", however small it may be in the great scheme of things.

ADDENDUM: Just wizzed through the campaign web site, there seems to be a little more to this than meets the eye....

You could always finish in Sunderland instead and pop into Fausto Coffee's (a painful pun of a name but a good one) or The Scullery, they do a fine club sandwich, stay overnight and cycle through to Tyneside the next day

https://idoxpublicaccess.northtyneside.gov.uk/online-applications/applic...

Is there a petition or place to support the proposal? I think we can smash 3000 signatures!!!

run down car park to some - local dogging hotspot to others

I suppose that, given the current attitude of so many people to cyclists, we shouldn't be surprised that 3,000 have objected to having a world class development for cyclists instead of a rather run down car park.

"Many locals appear to fear it would disturb the tranquillity of the area, cause traffic problems and harm wildlife."  Or to put it another way "We hate cyclists and we don't want them here even if it will improve things and help the local economy."

Oooh cheeky

This thread needs handlebarcam to take back control of it.